Black & Silver
by E. Greyjoy
Summary: Between Sirius' complaints about Bellatrix and her passionate grey eyes, how could James not fall for her?


i.

The beginning of their relationship was, ironically, thanks to Sirius. He despised Bellatrix with a strong passion and tended to complain about her all the time. Through that complaints, James got to know the worst of her: from the obsession she had with the current Dark Lord to the time when she broke three of Narcissa's bones.

At first, James, too, despised her. It wasn't until his fifth year and Bellatrix' seventh, when everything started to change.

He found her snogging Rodolphus Lestrange in a broom closet and even though he deducted points and took them to Professor Slughorn, he didn't forget the alluring spark in Bellatrix' eyes.

She might have been the almost-psychotic cousin of his best friend, but that night Bellatrix became something more for James: his crush.

ii.

His infatuation only grew stronger through the year. Every time James saw Bellatrix in the halls he couldn't avoid staring into her eyes. It was disappointing that the glint he saw then was not present at any other moment of the day.

He thought it was sad that it took physical passion to make Bellatrix look like that (after all, his other crush, Lily Evans always looked joyful), but it gave him a purpose: he would make Bellatrix look like that again. She will be flustered beneath him, her lead-like eyes ablaze with pleasure.

iii.

They interacted for the first time in one of the Slug's Club meetings. He had avoided them for a few years, but not anymore. After all, Bellatrix always went to those parties.

He observed her from afar, getting a sniff of her spicy perfume once in a while, so distinctive between all the smells from the food and the guests. James learned to love that smell of leather, cinnamon and tobacco and he felt that if exposed to Amortentia, he would smell some of those accords.

"This party is boring," said Sirius, at his side. The pursed mouth of his best friend spoke of his boredom, but James could not agree with him. Watching Bellatrix was fun and exciting, and James was sure he wasn't imagining her smirks and subtle flirting.

He saw Sirius leave with Remus (he wondered when would those two get together) and decided to talk to Bellatrix. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, but a shot of Phoenix Fire (muggle tequila and fire whiskey) solved everything. He felt the warmth of the beverage spread on his body. He shivered in anticipation.

"James."

He turned around to see Lily, her face pink and her eyes unfocused. He raised a brow; Lily Evans, drunk? That was new. With a simple Stupefy and quick reflexes, James knocked her out and put her on a couch, signaling Lily's best friend, Marlene, to tend to her. He fixed his robes and walked towards Bellatrix.

"Took you long enough, little Potter," she said, sipping from her goblet. James could see she was a little inebriated and wondered if Slughorn had any regards about school rules and underage drinking. "I thought you would go with the redhead, for a moment."

James relaxed at her words. He was good at being playful.

"Tempting," he told her with a smirk, getting closer to her. "But Lily is one of those girls you love for years and marry straight out of school. You, on the other hand, are-"

"The woman you learn from."

Both smiled at each other. James could see her eyes illuminating with that strange emotion that had filled his mind with very explicit thoughts about her anatomy.

"But," she started, taking James' drink from his hand and drinking it in one go. "You're my little cousin's friend. You know nothing, James Potter."

James let out a low laughter. "Well, I know everything you wouldn't want me to know. Isn't that enough?"

She got closer to him; James could see she was almost his height, but when he glanced down he saw a pair of black heels on her feet, making her stand a few inches taller than she was. He couldn't stop his eyes from wandering to her legs.

"Careful, James," she warned him. "My cousin is coming back to save you from big bad Bellatrix."

As she turned around to leave, she laughed. The sound was almost maniac, but James found it thrilling. He has never met a woman like Bellatrix before.

"Were you talking to Bellatrix?" Sirius asked.

James smiled at seeing his friend's confusion. "Slughorn made me, Padfoot. She is completely crazy!"

He had never lied to his friends, not even when the issue was personal, but this time he felt compelled to lie. It felt natural to him

iv.

James found her a few weeks later, on Greenhouse Five, the most dangerous of the Hogwart's greenhouses and James' favorite.

"You shouldn't be here, Bellatrix. It's forbidden without a teacher's supervision."

Bellatrix smiled, pacing calmly around the Man-Eating Venus Trap.

"By your smile I get that you don't care."

Her laughter resonated in the room; James saw a Flinching Tulip retreat into the shadows of the greenhouse.

"I know you always patrol the greenhouse at this hour, every Monday, Jamie."

James grunted at the choice of name. He never liked people calling him Jamie. She laughed at his discomfort, getting closer to him. James could smell wine on her.

"You shouldn't be drinking, Bellatrix," he said, suddenly feeling more responsible than he wanted to. "I'll have to assign you a detention. Again."

She pouted. "Aw, James, don't punish me for wanting to be a Gryffindor today."

He wasn't confused. James knew very well what Bellatrix meant by that. Still, he wanted to hear it from her.

"Why do you want to be a Gryffindor, Bellatrix?"

"Didn't you already now?"

Her answer made him smirk. James put a hand to her waist and Bellatrix leaned forward to kiss him. He could taste the bitter flavor of wine in her mouth, and soon the taste of blood joined it when Bellatrix bit his lip a tad too strong for his liking.

"Poor little, baby, James Potter," she said, a baby-like voice coming out of her mouth. "Trapped in evil Bella's spell. I have missed you since Sluggy's party, James. You make me feel I'm good at something."

James laughed. Her hand went up to his head entangling itself on the black strands of wild hair.

"Good at seducing me? Wasn't that what you wanted?" he asked.

"Not really, Potter," she said. "I want more."

* * *

><p><em>For the Decisions, Decisions... Challenge in HPFC forum; with JamesBella, "Poison and Wine" by the Civil Wars and "tempting"._

_Also, for the If you Dare Challenge, with prompt 55: Wine Tasting._

_The Music Appreciation Challenge, using Black & Silver (for Bellatrix) by Xandria._

_wc before AN: 1083_


End file.
